South MS high school softball playoffs are here. These are teams and players to watch

The Mississippi Coast is ready to once again showcase its softball talent on the main stage of the statewide playoffs.

There are 16 teams from around the region who are playing in first and second round series this weekend with a chance to play in May on the line.

Here is the weekend schedule and three of the best teams to watch in the race to Hattiesburg.

Games are slated to be played April 26-29 on a Friday/Saturday/Monday schedule with exceptions. Each series is a best two-out-of-three and the first team listed in each matchup is the higher seed and will be the home team for Game 1 and Game 3, if necessary.

East Central

The Hornets are battle tested coming out of the difficult Region 4-5A and made out with a 10-1 district record. East Central has also split a pair of extra inning games against arguably the Coast’s most talented team in George County.

Breyona Tanner (1.86 ERA) and Abbie Huff (2.12 ERA) are dominant forces within the circle while Bree Phillips and Baleigh Tullos are both batting over .400 with 35 extra base hits between them.

George County

The Rebels are out to defend their state title and have gotten hot at the right time. George County is riding an 11-game win streak and has impressive wins over Ocean Springs, Hancock and East Central.

George County is led in the circle by one of the top one-two combos in 6A in Addison Davis and Peyton Collins. The two have 178 strikeouts between them and have a combined ERA just under 2.00. Aryana Dixon is one of a small handful of players in the state with 40 hits while freshman Kyleigh Howell has set the school’s single season home run record with eight.

Ocean Springs

Ocean Springs has emerged as one of the better teams in the state and breezed through its district schedule with a 9-1 record. The Greyhounds have lost just once in their last 17 games after opening the season 2-2.

They are led from the box by Gracie McDonald and K’Lee Gum, who are both batting over .500. Brooklyn Peterson has a 3.30 ERA from the circle while Gum has contributed with a 3.38 ERA in six appearances.

3A Second Round

• St. Patrick vs Southeast Lauderdale

4A Second Round

• Poplarville vs Mendenhall

• Purvis vs Pass Christian

• Sumrall vs Bay High

5A First Round

• Vancleave vs South Jones

• East Central vs Brookhaven

• Florence vs Stone

6A First Round

• George County vs Hattiesburg (Series begins Thursday, April 25)

• Hancock vs Terry

• Pearl River Central vs Picayune

• West Jones vs West Harrison

7A First Round

• Ocean Springs vs Oak Grove

• D’Iberville vs Brandon

• Northwest Rankin vs Harrison Central

• Petal vs Gulfport